About Opal Tometi

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Fighting for Black Lives Worldwide

Opal Tometi is a globally recognized human rights advocate, strategist and writer of Nigerian-American descent. She has been active in social movements for over 15 years, and is widely known for her role as a co-founder of Black Lives Matter and for her years of service as the Executive Director of the United States first national immigrant rights organization for people of African descent – the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI).

An international thought leader, Opal notably, addressed the United Nations General Assembly, a privilege only a few US social justice leaders have been afforded. She’s appeared on CNN, MSNBC, BET and her writings have been published in popular outlets such as TIME, InStyle Magazine, Seventeen and the Huffington Post. Her human rights work has earned her many recognitions including the distinction of gracing the cover of ESSENCE Magazine’s inaugural Woke 100 issue, being named “A New Civil Rights Leader” by CNN and the Los Angeles Times. And in 2016, Tometi, alongside fellow BLM co-founders,she received an honorary doctorate, theGlamour Magazine Women of the Year Award,BET’s Black Girls Rock Community Change Agent Award, and recognition by Fortune, POLITICO and Marie Claire Magazines for being amongthe world’s fifty greatest leaders.A sought-after orator, Tometi has spoken at theAtlantic Washington Ideas Forum, Harvard University, Yale, various conferences and universities nationwide. She even delivered a commencement address at her alma mater, the University of Arizona.

She holds a Masters degree in Communications and is a racial justice communications consultant. The daughter of Nigerian immigrants, she came of age in the deserts of Arizona. Although often traveling around the globe to support human rights initiatives she currently resides in New York where she loves riding her single speed bike and collecting African art.